Of the numerous bodybuilding training splits to include in your weight training program, the best bodybuilding split for you depends on your training level and specific goals you wish to achieve. The push-pull training split is a classic and highly effective bodybuilding program for beginners or advanced bodybuilders that can be perform two, three, four or six times a week.
Push-Pull Training Split
The push-pull training split promotes muscle growth and helps prevent overtraining by grouping the muscles you train each day into a pushing or pulling muscle groups. The pushing muscles are those used in pushing motions such as your chest, triceps, front deltoids, quadriceps and calves. The pulling muscles are muscle groups used in pulling motions such as your back, lateral and rear deltoids, trapezius muscles, biceps, abs and hamstrings.
Push-Pull Variations
Beginners to strength training might start with a basic two day a week push-pull training split on nonconsecutive days. As you progress in your training, you might switch to a three day a week push-pull training split in which the thighs and abs are trained on a separate days. For example, complete the push workout on Monday, train your thighs and abs on Wednesday and do the pull workout on Friday. Advanced trainees can repeat each workout twice in one week so that you are training either four days a week, completing push-pull workout twice, or six days a week, completing a thighs push and abs pull workout twice. An example for six days would be doing the push workout on Monday and Thursday, thighs and abs on Tuesday and Friday, and the pull workout on Wednesday and Saturday. Sunday would be your rest day.
Sample Push Workout
Begin your push workout routine with a set of dumbbell chest presses for a warmup for your chest and arms. Grab a heavier pair of dumbbells that allows muscle fatigue to occur between six to eight repetitions for three sets. Next, complete three sets of incline bench press for six to eight reps and cable flys for eight to 12 reps. Train your front deltoids and triceps with three sets of eight to 12 reps of dumbbell front raise, overhead triceps extension and cable press down. Finish with calves using three sets of six to eight reps of standing calf raises and three sets of 12 to 15 reps of seated calf raises. Keep rest periods between sets under 60 seconds.
Sample Thighs and Abs Workout
Complete two warmup sets of full barbell squats for eight to 10 reps with progressively increasing weight. Perform three working sets of six to eight reps of full barbell squats in which your hips drop slightly below parallel to the floor. Follow with three sets of eight to 12 reps of leg presses, straight leg deadlifts and walking lunges, resting 90 seconds between sets. Conclude your workout with abs by completing three sets of 15 reps of decline crunches, reverse crunch and bicycle crunches, resting less than 30 seconds between sets.
Sample Pull Workout
Start your workout with one warmup set and three working sets of six to eight reps for bent over barbell rows. Next, complete three sets of eight to 12 reps of lat pulldown, upright rows, cable or dumbbell lateral raises and bent over dumbbell flys. Finish your workout with biceps, doing three sets of eight to 12 reps of dumbbell curls and EZ-curl bar preacher curls, resting 30 to 60 seconds between each set.
References
- ExRx.net; Weight Training Workout Templates
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2000
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2001
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